There exist several techniques in which a radiation source is used to rapidly (pulse) excite a test structure, then after a time delay the test structure is examined using a detector. Examples include:                A pulse of light from a flash lamp is used to rapidly heat a test structure. An infrared camera rapidly records multiple images of the test structure at multiple time delays after the heating. Heat flow in the test structure can be derived from these images.        Time resolved spectroscopy typically utilizes a pulsed laser source to excite atoms or molecules of a test structure. A fast optical detector is used to detect fluorescent decay of the excitation. Alternatively, a second fast laser pulse is used to “probe” the test structure.        
It is noted in these examples that the optical detector can be both passive (e.g. a camera), or active (e.g. a laser probe). It is also noted that a multiplicity of signals collected at a multiplicity of time delays is often recorded.
In these techniques, the excitation source must be rapidly pulsed and the detection must be time delayed via electronic or other means with respect to the excitation pulse.
Therefore, there exists a need to more effectively and efficiently analyze an excited test structure.